The Reformer

There are many ways party leaders and prime ministers are chosen across Europe

How are Prime Ministers chosen around the world?

With pressure mounting on Boris Johnson, it’s looking increasingly possible that Britain could well soon have a new Prime Minister....

Tin of Paint

Not what it says on the tin: 8 political parties that could do with a name change

There are some parties you come across where there is a total disconnect between the name and the party. Names...

2022 is a big year for presidential elections in Europe

How are Presidents elected around Europe?

2022 is a big year for presidential elections in Europe – with the Italian, German and French presidencies all open...

A tram in portugal

As Portugal heads to the polls – how do Portuguese elections work?

Portugal is holding a snap election at the end of the month after parliament rejected the budget proposed by António...

The smaller the constituency, the less proportional the results

What is the ideal number of MPs per constituency in proportional representation?

When choosing a proportional voting system, one of the most important decisions is the number of MPs each constituency elects...

This election marks the fifth change in Germany’s head of government in the last 50 years

Germany’s 2021 election: How Germans vote

This Sunday (26th March), Germany goes to the polls to elect its national parliament – the Bundestag. With Angela Merkel...

This is the fourth post-war Canadian election and second in a row with a wrong winner

First Past the Post has failed to give the most popular Canadian party the most seats

Minority government on 32% of the vote is one thing, but it is another when it isn’t even the most...

100 years since Norwegians elected their first proportional parliament

How do elections work in Norway?

Like most European countries, Norway first adopted proportional representation in the early 20th century, with this October representing 100 years...

Polling Station

Barriers to entry: How do electoral thresholds work?

A common feature of many Party List PR systems is an electoral threshold – a pre-set bar that parties have...

Political football: Italy’s party problems go beyond its voting system

In this guest post, Dylan Difford takes a look at Italy’s political system ahead of Sunday’s showdown. While PR-elected governments...

Preferential voting has become the US' most popular and most bipartisan reform idea

As New Yorkers vote in their first preferential primary, in the UK it is under threat

Voters in New York City were able to participate in their first preferential voting (called Ranked Choice Voting or RCV...

In a two-bloc system, voters decide the relative strengths of factions within the government

The Two-Bloc System: Scandinavia’s Best Kept Secret?

We thought we’d look at a unique aspect of Sweden, Norway and Denmark’s political cultures – the two-bloc system –...